Fighting Fire With Weird
by Yelof530
Summary: You thought Meadowbrooke is was the only school with gifted students? Meet Katy Ann, a girl who has a habit of blowing a fuse when she's mad. She's new and has to learn the procedure of the class fast. Katy Ann is gifted, and she's not the only one...
1. At Least the Table Isn't Too Scorched

"Mom, I have to be in that class," Katy Ann huffed, slamming a hand on the table. Mrs. McNally flinched, scowling at her daughter.

"For the last time, no," she stated firmly. "And watch your temper. We just replaced that table from your _last_ temper tantrum." Katy Ann crossed her arms moodily, staring her mother down. She could feel the rage building up in her, the familiar tickle of heat reaching her fingertips. No, that would just make matters worse. Katy Ann breathed a calming breath, closing her eyes momentarily.

"Just hear me out for once. Just once," Katy said, opening her eyes, adding a little harshness to _just once_. "The school says this program can help me with my ability. The teacher calls it a gift. It could stop my tantrums." Mrs. McNally momentarily glared while she said _gift. _"Can you at least think about it?"

Mrs. McNally drummed her fingers on the blue counter top, thinking it over for once. Katy Ann widened her brown eyes innocently, hope flooding her heart. Her eyes trailed down her mother, from the ear piece slightly hidden behind her long auburn hair, down to her professional pointed heels, back up to her heart shaped face.

"No. And that's final."

Katy Ann couldn't stop herself. She stomped her foot, feeling the rubber sole of her shoe melt away from underneath it. Her vision blurred and she could only hear the sound of her own enraged scream. In a complete fit, she swung her fists wildly, kicked defiantly. A heat engulfed her and her hair tickled the back of her neck in a different kind of way. She ignored the angry yells of her mother. It was not fair. She was never fair. _Kaitlyn, control that temper of yours. Behave yourself for once._

Suddenly, she felt cool foam being sprayed onto her. She unclenched her hands and panted a few smoky breaths. Her eyes finally trailed up to her mother's face. A lump formed in her throat.

From head to toe, scorch marks and soot flared on Mrs. McNally's clothes and skin. Katy Ann stepped back, dripping in foam. "I'm so-"

"I don't want to hear it," Mrs. McNally growled, slamming the fire extinguisher back under the sink. It sounded like they were almost out. "Wash up and I'll drive you to school. I'll talk to the teacher is in charge of that class." With that, she walked away, Katy Ann listening to the clicks of her shoes. She stared down at the ground around her. Scorch marks ran from her out. She ran a finger across the table, examining the soot that had collected. A sigh escaped her.

Walking to the bathroom in her room, Katy Ann stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair looked more brown when wet. It clung to her cheeks. Katy watched as her eyes miraculously began to water. It didn't spill over. Like always.

The girl in the mirror didn't deserve to have a name. Only people had names. The girl in the mirror was a monster.

Showering quickly and drying off her hair, she changed into fresh clothes. She waited in the car afterwards, staring at random cars passing by from the rearview mirror. Her hair now glistened with tints of red, the sun brightening it up. She spotted her mom walking out ten minutes later, fresh clothes, reapplied makeup and all. Her purse swung from her elbow as she slid into the driver's seat, starting the car. Katy Ann avoided her gaze.

The young teen didn't care if her mom didn't want her to be in the gifted class. Katy Ann had to be in it. Even if she couldn't learn to control herself, she had to meet kids like her. It might be her only way on not losing her sanity, and make her not feel like a complete freak.

They pulled into the school parking lot. She heard the loud rattle of the school bell, the one announcing students they only had two minutes to get to class. Her mom led the way to the school steps. Katy Ann could feel the tickle of the wind on the back of her neck. She stared off into the distance.

A few students were still walking in through one of the side doors. Among them were a few of the populars. The door slammed shut behind them. Right before she was about to turn her head, Katy heard the faint sound of the rolling wheels of a skateboard. She saw it was a boy. His hair was entirely covered by a snowboarding cap and he wore a greenish-grayish hoodie. He was skating full speed towards the closed doors. The skateboard could not slow down in time. He was going to crash.

Katy Ann took in a breath, prepared to yell for him to look out. But the breath stuck in her throat as she watched what was before her.

He was rolling straight towards the door, but his face clenched up in concentration. He glanced around him before focusing back on the task at hand, whatever it may be. He and the board rolled right up. At first, Katy heard the tell tale _bang_ of the skateboard hitting the door. The boy yelled, but as he flew forward, he didn't make contact with anything. The boy just went _through _the door. The board skittered back a few feet, down the walkway.

Katy finally heard her mother barking at her. "Kaitlyn Annabelle McNally, stop staring into space and get in the building." The girl realized she had been standing in the middle of the lot and finally started moving again. But right before she stepped onto the side walk, she sent a fleeting look back at the board. The boy had come back out to get it, struggling to keep the door open and reach for it at the same time. He grabbed it, glancing around. He locked eyes with Katy. Even from so far away, she could see how blue they were.

"Katy!" Mrs. McNally ordered. With a small shake of her head Katy Ann jogged ahead to the school doors. The boy may have easily slid through those doors, but pushing him to the back of her mind seemed impossible to Katy Ann.


	2. Cool, No School Work

Ryan glanced down the different hallways as he passed by them. If the hall monitors caught him arriving late one more time, it was a full day of ISS. And that meant an unhappy dad with his belt undone when he got home.

Finally, he made it to room 202. He slid in, the morning announcements still being read. Madame noted him with a curious look, but said nothing. He took his seat next to Maddie, who just cocked her head towards him. She smiled mischievously.

"Late again, I hear," she whispered gently. A lock of her golden blonde hair fell in front of her eyes which were covered by large black shades. She didn't push it away, which Ryan didn't expect her to do any way. He pulled off his hat and stuck it in his bag, next to the skateboard he designed himself. He carried around a bag but all he kept in it was his artwork, either just simple sketches or all on paint and color.

Hearing the "Have a good day" of the announcements, Ryan directed his attention to Madame at the front of the room. She stared right at him.

"Ryan, could you please explain why you were late?" she asked.

Ryan paused before answering. "My skateboard lost one of its wheels. I had to stop and fix it."

"Somebody's lying," he heard Ella singsong from the back of the room. He shifted around to cast a scowl. Madame cleared her throat, causing Ryan to jerk back around.

"Okay, I phased through my bed in the middle of the night and was stuck underneath it." Ryan sheepishly looked at the desk before him. He didn't need Maddie's ears to know they were snickering to themselves. Madame gave me a sympathetic look.

"This is one of the reasons you need to learn to control your gifts," she said, the class quieting down. "You may use it without even realizing it and have to deal with the consequences later. I know that most of you tend to use your gift everyday. Ryan, besides being stuck under your bed, have you used you gift at all today?" Ryan shook his head no.

"_Liar,_" Ella coughed derisively. Madame directed a look of authority onto Ella before looking back to Ryan. He knew he should be honest with Ella around.

"Okay, while coming into the building today, I phased through the door," Ryan admitted.

"Did any one see you?" Madame asked. Ryan almost expected this question. That girl…if Madame found out about her, he'd be in major trouble. It wasn't like she would give him detention or anything. But that look of sheer disappointment….

"Madame, would you please come with me?" the secretary, Ms. Polo, said, standing in the doorway. Madame glanced back at us before nodding at the woman.

"Class, think of all the ways you use your gift in an average day and if it is necessary to use it." With that, she left. The class did exactly not that.

"Where are they going?" Ryan instantly asked Maddie. She turned her head down, a look of concentration on her face. He had to admit, she looked really cute like that. Ryan shook this thought out of his head. _No, we're just friends,_ he thought to himself.

Maddie didn't even have to scrunch her face up. It came to her easily. "They walked to the front office. A woman's talking to her. She wants to know what this class is about, if it could really keep her daughter from using her ability." Maddie shifted in her seat. Her ears seemed to wiggle before she continued on. "Madame- oh why did they close the office door?" Maddie exclaimed. She turned her head towards me. "I can't listen now."

Ryan sighed, smiling an affectionate, yet secret smile. He knew Maddie couldn't see it. She couldn't see anything. "It's okay. You're getting better." Ryan sat back putting his feet up on the desk. The seven other kids in the class were doing what they usually did. Ella texted rapidly on her phone. Courtney chattered to her, oblivious to how she was ignoring her. Billy threw paper airplanes at Jordan, who blew them back effortlessly. Lloyd sat in the corner, his hair swept in front of his face. Ryan was never sure what was going on in that kid's head. His gift was apparently very strange, and a bit unnerving. He's never seen him use it though. Shannon and Ethan were playing slaps, Ethan ending up with red hands. He wanted to prove that he could beat a girl, even if she's cheating, technically.

"I'm guessing Ethan is losing again," Maddie said skeptically.

Ryan chuckled. "Yeah. He just doesn't get it, does he?"

Maddie smirked at this. "Maybe you should learn from your own advice, especially with Ella the human lie protector in the room. Did someone see you?" Ryan casted his eyes down shamefully. The hesitation answered her question. "You better hope whoever saw you doesn't say anything. Or everyone thinks their crazy."

"Yeah," Ryan murmured, staring at the doorway absentmindedly. He glanced at his watch, doing a double take. The seconds hand whizzed around, not too fast but faster than a normal watch. Talk about using your powers when you don't realize it.

"Shannon," he called, dropping his feet and swinging around on the seat. "You're doing it again." The girl gasped. He glimpsed down at his watch, noting the pace of the seconds hand slowing.

"Sorry," she giggled. Without warning, Madame came back into the room. Her face revealed nothing, just seemed deep in thought.

"I apologize. I had to speak with a parent."

"One of ours, Madame?" Jordan asked, not realizing the plane Billy sent flying towards him. It hit him in the side of the face. Jordan scowled at Billy, sending a huff of air out his nose. Billy's hair blew back, as if a sudden breeze had hit him.

"No, none of yours," Madame said, giving both boys a look that made them turn their attention back to her. "A different student's."

"But you only teach our class," Courtney called from the back, her long eyelashes blinking in her innocent appearance. "Are we going to have a new student?" The whole class looked up at this. A new student in the gifted class was rare, very rare. Not everyday some freak with powers shows up at school.

At that moment, the bell rang. The class remained seated. Madame, with only a slight nod, said curtly, "You will all find out tomorrow."

With that, the class was dismissed. Ryan walked out, leaving Maddie behind. She arrived to classes after the bell rang. The teachers were neurotic, fearing she'd be shoved down the stairs or something. The school provided her with special one on one time with a counselor and therapist, and special classes. Ryan wished he could just be able to walk her to class. He always tried to be this tough kid, but around Maddie, he kind of let himself…be himself. Usually, Maddie was this quiet girl, but Ryan knew that sweet and curious being behind the dark shades.

School rules were school rules, though. Even though Maddie didn't need any help getting to class.

She may be blind but she wasn't helpless.


	3. Hot to the Touch

"You're letting me join?" Katy Ann squealed. Her mother gave her a grave nod, not in the highest of spirits it appeared. Katy didn't care. She embraced her mother tightly, taking in the sweet scent of her perfume. Wait. She sniffed again. Perfume with an underlying stench of smoke.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said, her speech slightly muffled with her head in Mrs. McNally's shirt. "You won't regret it, mom." With that, she slung her bag over her shoulder and ran out the door to her second period class. Tomorrow, she'd be where she belonged, with kids just like her. Her mind wandered through what possible gifts they may have. Mind reader, oh, telekinesis possibly. What if someone could travel through time? She always wondered what she would be like in ten years….

She didn't realize where she was going, or that her show lace was untied. Stepping right on the lace, she fell forward. Her hands caught hold of someone and she sent them falling to the ground with her.

"I'm so sorry," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. The boy next to her dusted himself up and stood, holding a hand out for Katy Ann. She took it earnestly, pulling herself up. "Thanks."

The boy finally looked at her head on. "No problem." Katy Ann's stomach churned. Those eyes….

It was the boy who went through the door.

Katy Ann stared at him, her mouth in an _O_ shape. He could walk _through _stuff. All she could do was become a human barbeque. And when is that useful?

"Um, are you okay?" he asked, quizzically. Katy realized she had just been standing there staring at him. Of course, what's the first thing that she blurts out?

"You went through the door this morning," she exclaimed, smacking a hand over her mouth afterwards. The boys eyes widened in worried, but he quickly reclaimed his composure.

"I think you fell a bit too hard," he says, taking a step back. The halls are nearly empty.

"No, it was you," she continued on, taking a step forward for every step he took back. "You were riding your bike and-"

The boy grabbed her shoulders roughly, forcing her against the lockers. "No, I wasn't. If you know what's best for both of us, you didn't see anything. They'll either think I'm a freak or you're just crazy."

Katy Ann's eye twitched at this comment. "Crazy? For saying the truth?" The girl could feel the familiar prickle of heat in her hands. It rushed up, through her bones. She felt it reach her shoulders. The boy yelped, recoiling for her touch. His blue eyes looked at her incredulity. Somewhere in them, Katy Ann swears, she saw a spark of relief.

"I'll keep your secret, if you keep mine." With that, he slipped away. Katy Ann watched him walk passed the few remaining students in the hallway.

Well that was weird. Katy Ann thought over her own mental comment. Eh, she's had stranger happen to her.

She became aware of her classroom being just to the right of her. She walked in, taking a seat. Katy Ann always had to have a window seat. Luckily, the one all the way in the back was still empty. Sitting down, she pulled out her notebook for-what class was this again-English, right. The warm sun shone down on her, warming her face and hands. Pure relaxation and relief took over her. Finally, she'll be in the gifted class.


	4. The Sketchy Life Of Ryan

Ryan skated out of school as fast as he could. If that Katy Ann chick cornered him again, he'd have to go through her to get away. Literally.

She obviously had a gift of her own. No normal person was that hot. Wow that sounded weird. But seriously, the touch of her hurt. Ryan had the burn marks to prove it.

Rounding the bend, Ryan kicked up his skateboard and jogged up the driveway to his house. Actually, he went to the welcome area where he went downstairs to the part of the building his dad owned. He couldn't afford to pay for an entire house, so they live in a small section of a house that they rent.

His dad wasn't home so he went into his room. It was small, but he made it his own. A small, dingy window let in only a minimal amount of light. Flicking on the light switch, he took in the site.

Ryan loved his room. Drawings and picture hung on the walls. You couldn't even tell they were white. Every inch of it was covered, either with pictures he thought were cool, or long ago art projects. Unzipping is bag, Ryan pulled out the picture he drew today, taping it up on his wall. He admired it proudly. The leering samurai he painted in art glared back. The topic of the class that day was Japanese inspired artwork. Instead of attempting to draw anime (which he could do way too easily) like everyone else, he decided to make it more classic. The teacher said his work was outstanding.

Hopping onto his bed, Ryan examined his ceiling. Taping pictures on to it was kind of hard. He once tried balancing himself on a chair to reach it but he ended up falling and his dad got _really _mad at him. Not his smartest move. Only one picture stuck to it, although it brightened the whole room up.

Ryan felt like a creep for have not only drawn it, but hung it up, which took great lengths. Let's just say Ryan managed to only phase through the first floor to the basement up to his knees upside-down. He now gazed up at it, feeling the affection and lo- no, he wasn't going to use the L word. Just friends.

Abruptly, his door swung open, banging against the wall. Ryan jerked upwards.

"Hi, Dad," he said. God, he's really let himself go. His face unshaven and gaunt, lifeless eyes bore into Ryan. His stomach had a bit of a gut to it and his hair, oily and hanging across his face.

"Where's my beer?" he demanded, his tone slightly whiny.

"You drank it all." Without warning, his dad raised a hand, slapping it across Ryan's face. The sound rang out into the silence of the room. Strange, how Ryan didn't cry out in pain any more.

"Don't lie to me," he bellowed, pointing a stern finger at Ryan, an inch from his nose. The boy stared down his father.

"I'm not lying," he said softly. Ryan knew what was coming this time. He didn't even have to think about it.

As his father swung, Ryan didn't even flinch. He didn't exactly feel anything, just warmth run from one cheek to another. His father examined his hand, dazed by what had just happened. Then he snapped his gaze back to Ryan.

"Coward," he muttered. He then turned, leaving the room, and slammed the door shut. Ryan sighed, falling back onto his pillow, gazing up at Maddie's picture. Madame had once said that their gifts emerged most when they felt a certain emotion or when they needed them. An adaptation. Maddie, obviously, got her super-hearing to make up for her lack of sight. Jordan's first emerged after a really bad asthma attack when he was ten, and he accidentally uses it sometimes when he's breathing heavy or something like that. Ella is just an over-dramatic teen girl, always needing to know if people are being upfront with her or whatever, but she did get her power earlier in life.

Ryan always says he doesn't know how his power came to be. But he does know. He uses it when he's afraid.

This wasn't the first time his dad had hurt him, without any apparent reason. He's been like this for awhile, since Ryan's mom…left.

No, she's not dead. She just got up, walked to her car with a suitcase, and drove away. Never came back. That's probably worse than her actually dying. Ryan's dad always has this small hope that she'll come back.

Ryan's not sure if he has that hope anymore.

Not being able to stand the quiet anymore, he grabbed his sketch pad and board. Ryan hesitated at his bedroom door, not wanting to pass by his father. Instead, he turned and opened the small window over his bed. He unlatched the lock and pushed it open. His board and pad slid through the small opening easily and Ryan mentally thanked his dad for sometimes not having dinner on the table as he pulled himself through the window effortlessly.

Having a room in the basement, Ryan crawled onto the lawn when he exited the window. Glancing back one last time, he ran to the side walk and threw down his board. If he moved quickly, he could get to the park in three minutes.

Ryan tucked his sketch pad under his arm tightly. That thing was his life.

Rounding a corner, Ryan stopped and walked to a bench. The scene of the park relaxed him, helped him forget. The little kids playing. Joggers listening to music. People walking their dogs.

Taking the sight of a certain girl dangling from the monkey bars, Ryan flipped open his sketch pad and a pencil from his pocket.

He sat there for hours, carefully examining the people or the tree or creature he drew. His pencil moved across the paper effortlessly. Before he knew it, the sky had darkened, and the street lights blinked on. Closing his book he rested his head backwards before he stood up.

The cold metal against his neck made him freeze. He had been so zoned out; he didn't hear the heavy breathing of the person until now.

"Don't move," a voice said. Ryan tried to swallow the lump in his throat. It wouldn't go away. "Let me see your hands."

"What do you want?" Ryan asked, slowly laying down his sketch book, raising his hands up in. Sweat trickled down his face, cold in the fall air.

"Give me all the money in your pocket," the man demanded. His voice sounded young, slightly wavering. Ryan felt his stomach churn.

"I don't have any money," he croaked. Out of nowhere, a squirrel burst from the bushes. The man jerked, and shot the gun pressed to Ryan's neck.


	5. New Student

Katy Ann sped into the class, taking the seat closest to the window in the front row. The room was devoid of all the usual things you'd expect in a classroom, but had six tables, where two students fit at each one. They weren't set up very orderly, but separated evenly where everyone could be seen. She breathed in the air, the warmth of the sun shining in through the window upon her. She was so excited; Katy came to class as soon as the bell rang. Kids were still just entering or wandering around to their lockers and to chat with friends.

The first person to walk in after Katy was Madame. Katy had noticed her coat so she knew she had already arrived to school. She nodded at Katy Ann, taking a seat. Next was a boy. Long dark hair covered his face, his glasses glinting as he took a seat in the corner. He didn't even seem to notice her.

Not long after him skipped in a girl, curly hair falling to her shoulders. Katy recognized her from her lunch period. She gazed at Katy Ann with wide, delighted brown eyes.

"Hi!" she practically screeched. She walked right up to Katy Ann, smiling down onto her. "You must be new! Well, to this class at least, which is strange, we don't usually have new kids in this class. Not many people are like us though," the girl ranted on. Katy couldn't help but listen. Her words mesmerized Katy Ann, and she had to hear every one.

"Courtney, you're doing it again," another girl said. Katy Ann didn't even notice that she had walked in until the girl she assumed to be Courtney stopped speaking. Looking up now, she saw the other girl. Her ashy blonde hair was cut short, choppily layered and with bangs that drifted to the side. Baggy clothes hung limp on her body. Katy's seen her too in her lunch period, but from where she sat, she always thought that the girl was a boy.

She put a fist out for Katy to presumably pound, who just stared at it, her eyes widened in slight worry. Sighing, the girl laid the hand on the table and gave Katy Ann a crooked smile. "Sorry 'bout Court, takes awhile to get used to her. It just takes her a bit to control that voice of hers when she's excited. I'm Shannon, by the way."

"Katy Ann," she nodded back. Shannon turned and took a seat at the table near the middle. A boy was already sitting there, who was glancing every now and then at Katy. Katy Ann realized it was Ethan Thomas. She shared a bunch of classes with him and Katy kind of thought he was cute. Being captain of the wrestling and football team, he was a born athlete, broad-shouldered and a fading tan from the summer months.

Two boys walked in at that moment. One, Katy identified, was Jordan something. He was smart, not someone you would call a nerd, but he was better known for being friends with Billy Kramer. Hence, boy two, the school's official class clown. Billy always managed to make everyone laugh, even the teachers. His hair was closely cropped, and his face always seemed to be made into a silly grin.

Right as the bell rang, a girl (who Katy Ann recognized as Ella Sanchez) strutted in to the classroom, followed by a girl wearing large black shades. Katy Ann has seen her here and there at school, but never really paid her much attention. It wasn't until now that she realized the white cane she carried. The girl wielded it around, but didn't seem to need it. She slid back the chair at the table closest to the door and sat down expertly.

Right as the announcements finished, Katy Ann could practically feel every pair of eyes (well, almost every pair) bore into the back of her head.

"Good morning class," Madame greeted. No one answered. Obviously, they wanted to get down to business. Madame silently sighed.

"For those who don't know, this is Katy Ann," she said, gesturing at the girl. Everyone turned their attention towards Katy. The blind girl cocked her head, as if this was new to her.

"Oh, hello," she called.

"To your right," Ella jeered. The girl glared (at least it looked like she had glared) but turned her head more towards Katy Ann. She smiled brightly. Katy knew it was mean to think this but it was kind of creepy how her eyes, even behind shades, stared up, not directly at her.

"What can you do?" Billy asked. Katy Ann turned and faced him. Madame frowned.

"Billy, you have to be polite," she said. "Some people may not be very proud of their gift." She's not sure if any one else noticed, but Katy Ann saw the boy in the corner sort of hide his face at that moment.

"Is everything okay Katy?" Madame asked. Katy realized how transfixed her expression may have been and quickly looked away.

"Uh, yes," she said. "I'm fine." She shifted back to face Billy again. "And I can, well, not really control, but create fire."

"Any dimwit with a lighter can do that," Ella scoffed. Madame puckered her eyebrow at the pretty girl. She rolled her eyes, however, not continuing.

Katy Ann opened her mouth to speak but clamped it shut. If she started it now, she'd end up burning down the school.

"Where's Ryan?" The blind girl asked suddenly. Some of the kids looked around, as if the absence of Ryan just occurred to them.

"He's late for being late," Billy commented. "Didn't see that coming." The blind girl made a face, hurt a little.

"Sorry, Maddie. Forgot to be serious for once."

Madame frowned, but made no further statement. "Let's not worry about for the moment. Katy Ann may be new, but she has some experience in her gift, correct? On why it happens?"

Katy Ann cracked her knuckles nervously. "It happens when I'm mad. I kind of, literally, explode." Madame nodded.

"Exactly," she said. "One thing we focus on in this class is controlling our emotions. Now-"

Madame was cut short when a boy suddenly rushed in, who Katy Ann presumed to be Ryan. His hair stuck up at different angles as he pulled his hat off. He glanced around the room, his blue eyes resting on Katy for a few seconds longer. She gasped. The boy who went through the door. Katy should have known he would be here.

"Sorry I'm so late, somebody I knew needed some help," he breathed, shoving his skateboard into his backpack. Katy Ann eyes widened. The artwork done on the back of his board looked amazing. Dark and light colors swirled together and travelled across the board. It kept Katy Ann staring at it, something new coming to her eyes every time her eyes moved.

He took a seat next to Maddie, who smiled sweetly as he sat. He smiled back but it didn't reach his eyes, as if he had something on his mind.

For the rest of the class, Madame worked on breathing exercises with the class, to use when their feelings are haywire. At one point, with Jordan and Billy behind her, Katy Ann felt a sudden burst of air almost blow her out of her seat. She swiveled around, surveying the two curiously behind her.

"Sorry," Jordan said. Billy smirked at him, causing Jordan to punch him. Katy Ann ran her fingers through her hair, patting it down.

She furrowed her brow, perplexed. "How'd you do that?"

Jordan smiled sheepishly. "It's a gift."


	6. You Can Never Keep A Secret Too Long

"Hey, kid," a man yelled. Ryan turned to see it was Gabe. God, could this guy just leave him alone? Slamming down his skateboard, Ryan gradually rolled over to him, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. Gabe, like usual, was running his fingers anxiously through his hair.

Ryan said in a low voice, "What's up?"

Gabe grinned, showing only a little bit of his teeth. He always seemed to be nervous, his eyes moving shiftily around, biting his nails. "I just wanted to say thanks again," he began. "You're helping me…clear my head. Become a better person."

"You're welcome, I guess," Ryan answered. He knew he had to be careful around Gabe. If it wasn't for his gift, Ryan would have a lack of a neck. The boy gave a short shake of his head. Unlike hands and other limbs, when the bullet had gone through him, it felt like ice cutting through him. Not necessarily painful but it had sent shivers down his spine.

Gabe had instantly jerked backwards, expecting him to hit the ground cold. Ryan counted ten beats of his heart before he finally turned around, hands still up. A young man, who had to be only in his twenties, stood shaking like a Chihuahua, holding the gun shakily.

"What are y-you?" he stuttered. Ryan noted how he said _what_.

Ryan talked slowly. "I'm a person like you. Just put down the gun, I won't hurt you." The man unsteadily laid the gun down on the ground. Ryan dropped his hands. The man flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Ryan reminded. Stepping around the bench, he showed that his hands were still empty.

"Why aren't you dead?" he asked, his body tense, prepared to run.

Ryan couldn't help but smile. "I'm a little special. My teacher calls it a gift." The man rubbed his palms on his pants, trying to dry the perspiration. He wasn't much of a looker, her face knotted up in worry, his ashy blonde eyebrows thick and knitted together anxiously. His body was of a stocky build and had a round, slightly chubby face. Stubble lined his chin, and he looked exhausted.

"I'm Gabriel, well Gabe…sorry I tried to kill you." Ryan cringed on how easily he said it. He put an uncertain hand out for Ryan.

"Um, I'm Ryan," he answered, shaking the man's hand, the sliminess of it giving him the creeps.

From that point on, he had tried to be nice to the guy. Talked to him. Gave him some food. Even showed him how his gift works which he is _never_ supposed to do. Gabe just followed him like a lost little puppy. Ryan was lucky his dad had gone to the bar for the evening; otherwise he would have gotten a very fierce lashing.

And here Gabe was now. "You're welcome…again." Ryan prepared to leave but Gabe stepped in front of him before he could leave. Ryan remarked how he was wearing the same clothes as the day before.

"Don't leave yet just…I thought we could talk later, at the park," he said uneasily. "I have a friend that would like to meet you." Ryan opened his mouth to reply with a sufficient no but he clamped it shut. The look in this guy's eyes, he was so lost.

"Sure," he blurted out. One more conversation with this guy and his friend won't kill him. Hopefully.

Gabe smiled broadly. He took up Ryan's hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Thanks, you've been a great help. And don't worry, your secrets safe with me" With that he turned and jogged away, leaving Ryan feeling regretful and uneasy. Slamming down his board, he skated away.

The wavy-haired girl stepped out from her hiding place behind the bush. Thank God, no one had seen her sitting in dirt. Dusting herself off, she smirked out at Ryan. He should know that know one can keep a secret around her for long. Nobody.

Not far away from her, Gabe watched the boy from inside a car. "So you've earned the boys trust. Is he coming today?" A man said next to him

"Y-yes," Gabe stuttered back. "But he really is a good kid." The man glared down at him with cold, black beetle eyes. Gabe whimpered, running his fingers through his hair.

"Selena was right; there's more than one school with freaks." He leered out and locked eyes with the girl. She flicked her hair behind her hair from the spot she stood across the parking lot and walked away. The man, without another thought, drove away.


End file.
